An official complaint was made to the Bar Standards Board by Tory MP Rob Wilson who asked whether the relationship had been a code of conduct breach.

However, a spokesperson for the Bar Standards Board said: “The complaints about Mr David Sherborne and Ms Carine Patry were considered by the Bar Standards Board's Professional Conduct Committee following an investigation.

"The committee concluded that there was no realistic prospect that a Disciplinary Tribunal would make a finding of professional misconduct in relation to any of the aspects of complaint and the complaints were dismissed.

"We do not normally comment on individual cases unless a Disciplinary Tribunal has been scheduled. However, on this occasion, as so much information is already in the public domain it is clearly in the public interest to make this statement."